Connecting bracket for building structure

ABSTRACT

A building structure combination in which a bracket is attached to an elongated structural member by a fastening means that engages an integral, transversely extending web portion at at least two spaced apart locations therealong, and on opposed sides thereof, with a force sufficient to deform the web and thereby provide an interference fit between the web and the fastening means.

United States Patent 11 1 Klingensmith et al.

1451 Aug. 27, 1974 1 CONNECTING BRACKET FOR BUILDING STRUCTURE [75]Inventors: James D. Klingensmith, Apollo;

George J. Latkey, New Kensington,

both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: July 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 269,491

52 us. c1 52/752, 52/721, 403/400 51 1111. C1 Fl6b 7 00 [58] Field ofSearch 287/2094, 20.95, 20.92 c, 287/l89.35, 189.36 A, 49, 51, 20.924;

B, 81 B, 81 CT, 20rr [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,700,457 1/1955 Munroe ..'287/20.95 X

2,911,690 11/1959 Sanford 287/2094 3,181,923 5/1965 Guillon et a1.287/2092 C X 3,601,428 12/1969 Gilb 287/2094 Primary ExaminerJames R.Boler Assistant ExaminerWayne L. Shedd Attorney, Agent, or Fir m-ElroyStrickland [57] ABSTRACT A building structure combination in which abracket is attached to an elongated structural member by a fasteningmeans that engages an integral, transversely extending web portion at atleast two spaced apart locations therealong, and on opposed sidesthereof, with a force sufficient to defonn the web and thereby pro videan interference fit between the web and the fastening means.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 2 7 I974 CONNECTING BRACKET FORBUILDING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates generally to metal building structures, and particularly to abracketstructural member combination in which the bracket isconveniently fastened to one structure member for the purpose ofconveniently connecting thereto another structural member.

The interest in metal structural members for constructing the frame of adwelling house and other building constructions continues at a highlevelbecause of a number of factors vital to the building industry. Thesefactors include the essentially endless supply of metal, in comparisonto wood, as the basic building material, and the economies involved inbeing able to continuously produce structural members by fabricatingtechniques, extrusion processes for example, which techniques andprocesses can provide metal studding, beams, joists and even siding forbuildings in a rapid manner and at low relative cost.

In using such members, it is desirable that they be easily andeconomically connected together to provide a rugged buildingconstruction. For example, in connecting roof trusses or ceiling joiststo a horizontally disposed header member, such as that shown in theKlingensmith et al. US. Pat. No. 3,633,327, a simple, inexpensive meansis needed for the connecting pro- CGSS.

BRlEF SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON The present invention provides such adevice in the form of a bracket in combination with a structural memberhaving a transversely extending web portion. More particularly, thebracket has a first portion disposed to engage the structural member,and is attached thereto by a fastening means that engages the webportion of the member on opposed sides of the web portion at at leasttwo spaced locations lengthwise of the web. The fastening means engagesthe web in a manner that deforms the web into an S-shaped configurationat the location of the fastening means, as shown in the accompanyingdrawing. A second, integral portion of the bracket provides a means forattaching another member, such as a truss or joist, the first member.

THE DRAWINGS The invention, along with-its advantages and objectives,will become more apparent from consideration of the following detaildescription along with the accompanying drawings in which:

P16. 1 is a perspective front view of a bracket and structural membercombination of the invention; and

H0. 2 is a perspective rear view of the bracket of to the bracket andthus to PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION and in accordance abracket is Referring now to the drawings, with one embodiment of theinvention,

- versely extending webs shown in H0. 1 connected to anelongated,U-shaped (in cross section) channel member 12, which member may be astructural member of a building construction. A first, channel engagingportion of the bracket comprises a front wall 13 provided with twospaced apart (and vertically displaced) pointed tabs 14 struck inwardlyfrom the wall, as best seen in FIG. 2. The bracket includes further atop wall 15, which can be considered the main body portion of thebracket, joining the upper edge of the front wall at an angleessentially perpendicular thereto. In addition, the bracket includes asecond, integral wall portion 17 extending along another edge of themain wall or body 15, i.e., along an edge adjacent that of the frontwall, in a substantially perpendicular direction to the plane of themain wall.

The channel member 12 includes an integral, transversely extending web19 which the tabs 14 engage in a manner presently to be explained.Preferably, the channel member has two additional integral, trans- 20and 21, as shown in the drawing, and an integral web or lip 24 angularlyde pending from the web 20, and extending lengthwise of the channelmember 12. The opposed surfaces of the webs 19, 20 and 21 are preferablyprovided with corrugated surfaces, as shown in FIG. 1.

The lower edge or end of the channel engaging wall portion 13 of thebracket 10 has a curved portion 26 which extends behind and engages thedepending web 24 of the channel member when the bracket is properlydisposed in place on the front and top of the channel member.

To mount and secure member 12, the curved end is first located behindthe depending web 24 of the channel member. The bracket is then rotatedabout the web and onto the channel member using the depending web as apivot point and means for the rotation. The curved end of the bracket inengagement with 24 serves to properly locate and register the tabs withthe webs 19, 20 and 21 of the channel member. As the bracket is rotatedabout the lip 24 and onto the channel mem her, the tabs 14 of thebracket engage the center web 19 of the channel member respectively onopposed sides thereof and deform the same (at 19A in FIG. 1) as thebracket is rotated into full engagement with the channel member. Thedeformation of the web 19 provides an interference fit between the weband tabs which prevents relative lateral movement between the bracketand the channel member.

To provide the deformation of the web 19 and thus the interference fitin the manner just described and as shown in H0. 1, the tabs 14 arevertically displaced, as mentioned above, by an amount sufficient tocause the desired amount of deformation. Similarly, the height dimensionof each tab is chosen to engage the opposed corrugated surfaces of thewebs 20 and 21 to provide additional retaining force on the tabs andthus on the bracket 10. i

The web deforming function of the tabs 14 tends to resist movement ofthe bracket as it is rotated into place. For this reason, a forcesufficient to drive the bracket into complete engagement with thechannel member needs to be applied to wall 13 of the bracket whenjoining the same to the channel member. This may be accomplished withthe use of an ordinary hammer.

With the bracket secured and fixed on the channel member, as describedabove, the upstanding portion 17 of the bracket is located to receivethereagainst a second structural member 28 for connecting to the channelmember 12. In the drawing, this secondmember is the bracket on thechannel portion 26 of the bracket shown as a solid, rectangularstructure, such as a wooden beam,joist or truss member, which may besecured to the bracket by driving nails (not shown) through openings 29provided in the wall portion 17. The member 28 may also be metal, inwhich case it can be secured to the portion .17 of the bracket by suchmeans as screws, rivets or welds.

It can be appreciated that if the channel member 12 is a horizontallydisposed building component (as shown in FIG. 1), floor joists or roofrafters (28) can be easily and quickly attached to the channel member,at any desired location therealong, by properly locating and fasteningthe brackets along the channel member in the simple manner describedabove. This is accomplished without separate fastening hardware. Thechannel member itself is simply employed as is, i.e., the channel membermay be used as extruded (after it is cut into appropriate lengths). Theinterference fit provided at 19A insures a rugged, permanent connectionbetween the two members 12 and 28, and thus provides a high degree ofholding force between the two.

In addition to the assembly functions that the curved portion 26 of thebracket 10 performs in rotating the bracket and registering the tabs 14with the webs of channel 12, the curved portion, in extending beneathand behind the depending web 24 of the channel, also resists upwardforces on a roof structure if the brackets are used to attach rooftrusses to the channel 12. Such forces are created under certain aircurrent and wind conditions. Further, such a bracket structure andassembly resists any inward and outward movement of building wallsemploying channels 12 as a structural part thereof.

The integral tabs 14 are the preferred fastening means of the inventionthough other fastening means may be employed. A simple U-shaped staplemight be used by directing the same through appropriately spaced andvertically displaced holes provided in the wall 13 ofthe bracket, and bydriving the staple into engagement with the webs 19, and 21, with theuse of a hammer.

The invention has thus far been described in terms of at least two tabs14 engaging and deforming a center web 19 of a channel member 12 into anS-shape to provide a rugged connection, and thus good holding force,between members 12 and 28. A single tab, however, might be used toengage and deform the web portions of a U-shaped channel, having adepending web 24, though such a single tab would understandably providea lesser degree of holding force.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferredembodiments, the claims appended hereto are intended to encompass allembodiments which fall within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention and certain embodiments thereof, weclaim:

1. In combination with a first elongated structural member having anintegral, transversely extending web, a bracket disposed in contactingengagement with said structural member, and fastening means associatedwith said bracket engaging the web of said member on opposed sidesthereof at at least two spaced apart locations therealong, theengagement of the web portion by the fastening means being effective todeform the web to provide an interference fit between the web andfastening means.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the bracket comprises a portion forengaging the first structural member and a portion for fastening asecond structural member to the bracket and thus to the first structuralmember.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the fastening means are tabs struckfrom a wall portion of the bracket.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the first structural member hasan integral depending web, and the wall portion of the bracket has acurved end extending behind the depending web with the bracket properlylocated on the structural member.

1. In combination with a first elongated structural member having anintegral, transversely extending web, a bracket disposed in contactingengagement with said structural member, and fastening means associatedwith said bracket engaging the web of said member on opposed sidesthereof at at least two spaced apart locations therealong, theengagement of the web portion by the fastening means being effective todeform the web to provide an interference fit between the web andfastening means.
 2. The structure of claim 1 in which the bracketcomprises a portion for engaging the first structural member and aportion for fastening a second structural member to the bracket and thusto the first structural member.
 3. The structure of claim 1 in which thefastening means are tabs struck from a wall portion of the bracket. 4.The combination of claim 3 in which the first structural member has anintegral depending web, and the wall portion of the bracket has a curvedend extending behind the depending web with the bracket properly locatedon the structural member.